Question 1

How do I generate a cryptographically secure ID with uid?

Accepted Answer

Import the uid/secure module instead of the default, as it uses the environment's crypto API (e.g., getRandomValues in browsers) for secure randomness. This mode is slower than the default but ensures higher security for sensitive applications.

Question 2

uid vs nanoid: which should I choose?

Accepted Answer

uid is faster and has a smaller bundle size, making it better for performance-critical apps. However, nanoid supports custom alphabets and is more flexible for varied ID formats, so pick based on whether speed or customization is your priority.

Question 3

What's the risk of collisions with uid IDs?

Accepted Answer

Collision risk decreases with longer IDs; the default length of 11 characters provides sufficient uniqueness for many use cases, but for high-volume systems, consider increasing the length or using the secure mode to enhance randomness.

Question 4

Can I customize the alphabet in uid?

Accepted Answer

No, uid only supports fixed alphabets: hexadecimal for default and secure modes, and alphanumeric for single mode. If you need custom characters, you'll need to look at alternatives like nanoid or implement a wrapper.

Question 5

How to use uid in a Node.js project with ES modules?

Accepted Answer

Simply import it using ESM syntax (e.g., import { uid } from 'uid'), as the library is preconfigured for native ESM support. It also includes CommonJS fallbacks for compatibility with older setups.

Question 6

Is uid suitable for generating database primary keys?

Accepted Answer

It can be used for non-critical keys where fixed-length IDs are acceptable, but for databases expecting UUIDs or highly secure identifiers, consider uid/secure for randomness or switch to a UUID-specific library for format compliance.

uid

What is uid?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions